Madness is Catching
by FracturedLittleWishes
Summary: Skulduggery nd Co. are called to a mental hospital where the worst of the worst are kept under lock and guard. But something is going very wrong, but Madness isn't a disease, you can't catch Madness, right? T for themes and later chapters ox XD
1. Chapter 1

Valkyrie Cain stood in front of her mirror, and remembered not to touch it. She didn't really want to talk to her reflection at the moment, and felt it was mean to just make her go back in the mirror, but she really couldn't be arsed to talk to it. She held up two t-shirts. One was Paramore and the other 30 Seconds to Mars. Both bought at the concerts, which she was very proud of. One thing about Fletcher was he had amazing taste in music, and he'd almost died when she'd admitted she'd never been to a proper concert before. He'd insisted on taking her and, well, it was the best time of her friggin' life! They'd stood for them; she'd screamed every word to the songs and had gotten severely beaten in the mosh pits. My, she felt so hardcore! This was going to be one of their more, less-getting-the-shit-kicked-out-of-them-by-emos dates. He was taking her to a movie, which one he wasn't saying but the latest Harry Potter was out and he knew it was her favourite film, she'd also found he had a massive crush on Emma Watson, so she had a pretty good guess of what they were going to see. She pulled on her grey skinny jeans, opted for the 'this is war!' tee, and stuck her feet in a pair of (very) battered converse. She was just looking in the mirror, when Fletcher appeared and shielded his eyes staggering around when he saw her.

"Oh my God! The beauty! It blinds me!"

"Shut up, moron." But inside she was beaming, she flopped on the bed.

"Sorry, but you do look too amazing to be humanly possible."

"Thanks." She grinned angelically up at him.

"Now's the part where you say "Oh Fletcher your impossibly handsome looks make me seem dull in comparison. Your hair is like beautifully styled pure golden sunlight.""

"Or I could just recite Shakespeare, it's be quicker and less boring."

He sat down on the bed and hugged her. They pulled apart but he still kept an arm around her shoulders.

"So what are we seeing tonight?"

"Ah, that's for me to know and you to find out."

"Aw, that's no fair!"

"I know but that's life."

"Please?"

"No."

"But I love you." She made her eyes go all big and pouted up at him.

"Yes and I love you too, but not enough to tell you."

"Gah!"

"That was cute. Anyway shouldn't you be getting your reflection out, so's not having to explain to your folks why you were out all night?"

"No, I was going to make an excuse to them. I don't want the Lily spending time with the reflection, it's creepy."

"But you won't stop putting yourself in danger."

"No I can't."

"Ok, I get it. So what's your excuse?"

"Don't need one; Mum and Dad have gone to some wedding in London and they won't be back till Monday. Gran's got Lilly and you have me all night."

He smiled and bent down to her lips. "Perfect." He whispered just before kissing her.

She giggled, as he put her on the bed so he was lying over her. "You know it's not a long film and if your parents aren't back till Monday, we could always…" He trailed off and his eyes flickered to the bed.

In reply her lips found his and kissed her back. Then Valkyrie's phone started ringing. Valkyrie broke off and looked at it. "Ignore it." Fletcher said. And she tried to, and she was, for ages it was just her and Fletcher, there, together. But the phone wouldn't fucking stop ringing.

"Argh!" She sat up and stormed over to her desk, where the phone was vibrating loudly. "It's Skulduggery." She said and she heard Fletcher give an exasperated sigh. She pressed the receive button and fumed down the phone.

"Look Skul! You better have a good reason for ringing me! Kindda an important moment for me!"

"Sorry Valkyrie, you know I don't like getting involved in your personal life, but-ˮ

"Liar."

"-but this really is very important."

Sighing she turned to Fletcher. "One minuet" she mouthed holding up her finger. He looked annoyed but didn't say anything.

"Go on shoot. What's so important?"

"Erm well it's hard to explain, tell you on the way."

"Way? On the way to where?"

"Again I don't really have time, can't you wait?"

"Fine. I'm at mine."

"I'll be there in a minuet, call Fletcher we're going to need him."

She felt herself go red. "Erm he's kindda here, with me."

There was a pause. "Why?"

Going even redder. "Erm, well….see…" She trailed off, a lie not forming in her brain.

"Why don't I like the sound of this?"

"You're probably perverting the whole thing-ˮ

"Please tell me the state of Fletcher."

"Erm, he's sat on my bed," she looked at him. His top was off, how the fuck did that happen? "And that's it."

"Valkyrie."

"Yes?"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"That doesn't leave a whole lot I can't do."

"You know what I mean. I'm a skeleton and-ˮ

"OMG! WHAT THE FUCK SKULDUGGERY? SHUT UP!"

"Ok, sorry but you get what I mean."

"Bye, Skulduggery."

"Ok, I'll be there in a sec, and if I think anything-ˮ

"Goodbye Skulduggery!"

She hung up.

"We've got a case."

"Fuck."

"Yeah I know."

"We were gonna see Harry Potter."

"Yes! Knew it!"

"We can always go next week?"

"Sure."

"Guess you're gonna have to get the reflection out after all."

"Yeah. Fuck."

"Yeah I know."


	2. Author's Note

**_GAH! Right this was supposed to go on the first chapter to explain everything, but FANFIC is a noob and won't let me put it on for some reason only known to itself XC AAAAAAAAAAAARHGH! I'm just going to pretend that this is on Chapter One and invite you to do the same XD_**

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Right hello it's me again. Here with another new story 'coz I seriously CANNOT finish anything so, yeah don't be surprised if none of my stories ever seem to come to an end. I got the idea for this while watching Kerrang! and it was My Chemical Romance's takeover so obviously I was glued to my sofa, it also helped that I was off 'coz of the snowwww XD AAAAAAAAnyway back to what I was saying; yeah and Avenged Sevenfold's song Nightmare came on and I was like "wow! Idea ping!" So yeah that is what happened on my day off school. XD I don't like this chapter :/ And I got lazy towards the end will get better XD

**_If I don't write something before (and shout at me if I don't) MERRY CHRISTMAS! BYEEEE xoxo_**

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Yeah well that's basically what I wrote before it wad a NOOB! GAH! So yeah I hope things are clearer or more messed up XP oxox

**_P.S The layout looked better and it wouldn't save them so sorry for lack of paragraphs :c_**


	3. Chapter 3

Hiya, here's the next little bit. Did any of you go and watch Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare video if you hadn't seen it already? I can recomend it, it's dark if a little long. So yeah enjoy R&R, be honest.

* * *

They arrived at a massive gothic building. It stood on a hill overlooking dead lands.

The gardens out front were unkempt and overgrown with dead weeds

There was a giant oak tree, long dead, right in the middle, its branches hanging over the rusting wrought iron fence.

They walked past it in silence and Valkyrie a creepy sensation of someone watching them. She looked up.

In a dirty window, on the third floor a man was watching them. His black hair was sticking up like he'd spent all day running his fingers through them. She could only see the outline of him but she could tell it was a man early 30's, but with magic it was impossible to tell his actual age, he was wearing what looked like a hospital gown and his feet had slippers on them. He just stood, head lolling to one side, and, although she couldn't see his eyes, she knew he was staring right at them. She stopped and looked back up at him, eventually he stumbled away and the light went off.

She had to run to catch up to Skulduggery and Fletcher, who were nearly at the door.

They rang the buzzer on the door, a buzzer that looked like it was hardly ever used.

She noticed a sign next to the door.

"Hearwood Hospital. Recovery Institution for the Mentally Disabled."

"Yup, this place contains the craziest of the crazies. Many dark wizards call this place home."

"Hang on, isn't that dangerous? Shouldn't they be at the Goal?"

Skulduggery shook his head. "This place is the single most safest place in Ireland, apart from the Goal. But this place is for the ones who lost their minds after, during or even before the war. There is an automatic quarantine that is armed is any of the patients decide to take a little wander, an alarm is than signalled to the Sanctuary who come to execute the offending prisoner."

"So, it's a prison?"

"Basically, but with people in Doctor's and Nurse's clothes."

"Ok, fair enough."

Just then the door opened and a pretty young lady answered the door. Her name tag read "Lynda Hope". She reminded Valkyrie of a nurse she'd seen in books about World War 2. All shiny, chestnut hair pulled back into a bun, red lipstick lips and a tight nurse's outfit.

"Oh hello," she said in a breathless, sing song voice. "My name is Lynda Hope as you can see," she pointed proudly at her name glistening name tag. "I'm a nurse here at Hearwood Hospital. How may I help you?"

She led them into a foyer. It was gleaming and white, typical hospital waiting room. But Valkyrie felt like there was something missing.

Nurse Hope danced behind the desk. Well she didn't dance but she moved to gracefully and happily that it seemed like she was dancing. She turned on an ancient computer and hit hard on the side. "Stupid thing, so old it takes a few tried to get it working. Sorry about this." She whacked it again, and smiled as the screen lit her face.

"Now, name?" She turned expectantly to Skulduggery.

"Ah yes, name, right," Skulduggery looked around for inspiration. "Mr…Plant."

Nurse Hope looked doubtful. "Right Mr Plant? And you two are?"

She motioned at Valkyrie and Fletcher. Valkyrie opened her mouth to speak, but Skulduggery spoke. "My niece and nephew. Erm, Lacy Sparks and Peter Kettle."

Valkyrie stared at him and Fletcher glared.

"Oh right. Lacy Sparks is a lovely name and Peter….Kettle is…interesting." She typed it down into her computer.

* * *

Marcus Breet watched as the dark haired girl, the tall man and the boy with the stupid hair walked up to the door.

He couldn't see their features, he didn't need to, he knew who they were.

Skulduggery Pleasant, the teleporter Fletcher Renn and her, Valkyrie Cain. He smiled for the first time since he's first came here over 100 years ago.

Behind him he heard that Lynda Hope walk into the room. Hope. What a stupid emotion, he'd worked hard to eradicate hope.

"Are you ok Marcus?" Came the breathy, sing song voice he'd had to live with.

The kindness and sincerity in her voice touched something in him. His gag reflex. As a reply he stumbled away, his ridiculous slippers flopping on the tile surface.

He hated it here. But Master had stolen his mind for a reason, and Marcus knew he would return it if Marcus was good. So Marcus sat on the bed, imagining ripping Nurse Hope's beautiful, innocent face off.

Somewhere downstairs the buzzer went and he smiled. They were here, finally.

"Excuse me Marcus, but I have got to get that." With that she hurried out of the room.

Moments later a shadow filled the door frame.

"Hello Marcus."

Marcus looked at them with frightened, mad eyes.

"You're next Marcus, just think 3 times. Just three times."

Marcus screamed.

* * *

**_If you're reading this congradulations you have just read the second chapter of Madness is Catching by meee XD Unless you're one of the weird people who just look at what's been written at the bottom. Ha Bottom! XD So mature. Anyway love to stay and chat but I'm going to watch Forest Gump BYE! OXOXOX Fuck Sincerley FracturedLittleWishes_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_This is a bit boring but I promise I will try to make it better XD AAAAAAAAAAAAANYWAY here's the next little bit R&R, erm I can't think of anything to say so read on..._**

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Lynda was getting a bit flustered. She wasn't sure who these people were, and obviously she didn't buy the whole Mr Plant thing.

But it was her job to be kind so, she felt it was right to humour this…strange individual.

She nodded and typed some more information in the computer.

She wouldn't let on, but it didn't even work. Nothing here did, the lights ran on magic, but that was short. There was no hot water and no luxuries at all.

She eyed the three strangers. They were an odd bunch. The tall man was handsome, but there was something about his blue eyes and dark curly hair that was fake. Waxy almost. She couldn't tell much else as he was huddled in a big black coat, as if he meant for her not to see.  
The girl, Lacy, was pretty, probably about 16, athletic from how she was built, necromancer by the ring she wore and an elemental from the whole way she held herself. She guessed she was elemental first and foremost, but was still not sure about which path to take.  
The boy, Peter well everything about him screamed self absorbed, from his hair to the way he stood. He was maybe two years older than the girl, and they were together. The way the girl turned inwards facing him and he was doing the same, as if it was natural.

This would be disconcerting, as they were supposedly brother and sister, if this were not so blatantly untrue. They looked nothing alike, brothers and sisters usually had some sort of resemblance to each other but these two, no. Where he was light haired hers was black as sin, his eyes blue and hers dark. No similarity. The three of them were all totally different, but connected in one way.

They were all lying.

Lynda had always been good at noticing things. She'd been a quiet child, but clever. She'd notice things that no one else would and remember things; most people thought took one look at her pretty face and short, tight clothes and would instantly assume she was stupid. But she wasn't, oh no she was anything but. But Lynda was kind and was happy to let people think they were right. These people obviously assumed she was stupid and thought that they could lie to her, so she let them.

"Yes," Lynda sang as she finished typing whatever she was typing with a flourish. Valkyrie noticed she reached for a pad and paper and started scribbling something. "I've got that all down. Sorry just formalities you understand."

"Of course," said Skulduggery, smooth as ever.

"Now, reason of visit?"

"We're here to see an old friend of mine actually. Marcus Breet. Do you know him?"

"Yes, I know him. I wasn't aware he had any friends, he never talks about them. That'll be nice for him. I'll take you up to him now," she got up from behind the desk, tottered a bit in her heels and walked past them. "This way. He's on the third floor."

Skulduggery followed with Valkyrie and Fletcher close behind. Valkyrie walked towards the lift.

"Oh no," Lynda called over. "That doesn't work, hasn't for years."

Valkyrie kept her frown to herself, and smiled walking up the stairs.

They arrived on the second floor. Valkyrie was a little out of puff and Fletcher's face was redder than usual. Skulduggery and Lynda however seemed to be fine.

"You get used to it." Lynda smiled. She led them down a dimly lit corridor.

Valkyrie was shocked; this place was nothing like the entrance. It was filthy. About 10 paces were between each door that had a small, frosted pain of glass in them. Through them she could hear the groans of the patients. Somewhere, not far enough away, someone screamed a horrible scream and Lynda jumped.

"I'm sorry but I really must go. You'll be ok to find his room won't you?"

Valkyrie's eyes widened, she was going to leave them alone in this hell hole?

"Of course. We understand; your patients need you Nurse."

Lynda looked relieved and told them which room he was in.

* * *

**_I couldn't really think of a cliff hanger so erm, that is what you get XP_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Here's the next bit! Should get more exciting. Gah! back at school :C Poop. enjoy/ _**

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Valkyrie watched Lynda glide off down the dark corridor.

She saw a light switch and thumbed it. Nothing happened. "Looks like nothing works in this place. Which is odd, for a hospital."

"Yes it is." Skulduggery tilted his head, and then strode down in the direction Lynda had pointed.

Valkyrie and Fletcher made to follow, but he turned sharply towards them. "Erm, no just me." Valkyrie raised an eyebrow. "Erm, its stuff. Important stuff. Stuff not for children. You know, stuff stuff."

Skulduggery hated lying, mainly to Valkyrie, to anyone else it was fine, but she'd earned his respect years ago so she was an exception.

The truth was he didn't want her to know, he didn't want her to know about Marcus.

Marcus Breet had been right-hand man to Lord Vile, one of his most trusted servants. Till he lost his mind. No one knew what happened but it was bad enough for him to be put here, so it was pretty bad. But no, Valkyrie couldn't know.  
He was going to find out Vile's plans for her and stop him, and if things went his way then Valkyrie would never know and she would be safe, but really when did things ever go his way. But that didn't mean he couldn't try.

He'd probably die, again, but Valkyrie didn't need him anymore. She had Fletcher, she was growing up and could take over as The Sanctuary's Head Detective and marry Fletcher, have kids and live the life he'd had, lost and had again with her. He owed her that much. She'd be upset, but get over it like everyone does.

"So, erm," he fumbled through his excuse as her dark eyes bore into him. "Like I said, important stuff, not for children. Got to go." He stumbled away, not wanting to see her hurt face. She'd thank him later, or not.

Skulduggery resisted the urge to turn around, Valkyrie couldn't know he'd keep her safe. Counting the door numbers he stopped and took a deep breath. Now or never. Room 1013, Marcus Breet.

* * *

Valkyrie watched him go and felt a tug in her chest. He'd never left her out of anything important before, why now? She felt Fletcher's arm wrap around her waist and he hugged her. He could tell she was upset.

"Its probably really boring, important stuff," he said. She smiled lightly and looked at him.

"Yeah. Kindda boring just stood here though."

"Yeah." He looked at her and saw her eyes sparkle. "Fine, lets explore the creepy, old mental hospital."

"Thank you."

"It's a good job I love you."

"Yeah."

* * *

Skulduggery opened the door, it made a creaking sound. He tried the light, it didn't come on. Valkyrie was right, nothing worked. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a little torch. It was pitch black in the room, and only a small bit was being lit by the sickly grey light coming from the corridor outside. He flicked on the torch.

* * *

Valkyrie felt Fletcher's hand linked in hers and instantly felt safer.

This place was creepy, maybe it was the way the way there was this weird sickly grey light that hung in the air. Or maybe it was the muffled mumbles of the patients locked behind the doors, or it could have been the fact that there was only a bit of wooden door separating her from a bunch of crazy, evil people who would no doubt want to tear her apart. Yup, all perfectly good reasons to be scared, but there was the fact there was something so bad that Skulduggery couldn't tell her. Maybe he didn't think she was any good, maybe he was trying to get rid of her. She'd been thinking about it all the time they'd been walking. Fletcher looked back at her and noticing her troubled face sighed.

"It doesn't matter you know? Whatever he's doing."

She just nodded, not really listening.

Sighing he turned to her and held her shoulders. "Val listen, he's doing something and that's his thing Ok. But he's stupid to not want you there, you're brilliant, totally beyond anything on earth. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, in like, my whole life. You're clever, funny, brilliant, and drop dead gorgeous, and he's stupid to not want your help."

Valkyrie was touched, really. That was sweet Fletcher never talked about feelings.

In a movie this would have been the perfect place to have a passionate love scene, but she realised that being surrounded by a load of crazies was probably not the best place, or the right time. So she smiled and kissed him, before speaking.

"You're absolutely right. C'mon!" She pulled his further down the corridor.

"Where are we going?"

"No idea, but isn't that the point of exploring? Pick a number."

"Erm, ok. Three?"

"One…two…three!" She counted at ever door till the third. She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a small torch Skulduggery had given her, and the other one rested on the door ready to open it.

"Ready?" She raised an eyebrow at Fletcher who was staring at her.

"As I'll ever be when I'm about to run into a mad man's room."

She grinned and opened the door, and flicked on the torch. They both stepped in and stopped. Valkyrie dropped the torch, "Oh, my, God."

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_**Yeah, not sure why Skul made Val come if he didn't want her there, didn't think that bit through. Maybe he just didn't want wierd stuff going on...:X Make that bit up for yourself XD byeee **_


	6. Chapter 6

**_Erm here's the next bit. I hadn't really worked on this one for awhile and thought "why not?" and this is what you get. XD Review please and whatever else...nothing illegal please erm yeah Enjoy_**

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When the torch hit the floor, it spun round casting gruesome shadows of them onto the walls. The walls that were not bare like the rest of the hospital.

Valkyrie walked up and ran a hand along them, while Fletcher held the torch for her.

Scrawled across the walls were numbers.

The numbers 1, 2 and 3. Those three numbers repeated endlessly, written in writing 10 feet tall and some tiny. Scribbled like someone had closed their eyes and just wrote blindly. Moving the torch around they saw the writing continued around the rest of the room, Fletcher broke the top off the torch so the bulb was exposed and place it in the middle of the room. The light now flooded the room, giving them a brighter view.

They wandered around for a bit just reading, not knowing what to really say. Finally Fletcher broke the silence.

"What the hell?"

Valkyrie had been thinking exactly the same thing.

"It would seem," she began. "That there is three of something?"

"But what?"

She whistled through her teeth, "That would be our job to find out."

"Right, and we do that how?" He began, doubt clouding his voice. "We're not the detectives here, Skulduggery is."

"Well, it's lucky I've worked with him for a while," she knelt down by and old rusting iron bed. "And you don't work with Skulduggery for a while without picking up a few things. In other words, I'm good with creepy, mysteries."

"Go on then Scooby Doo, impress me."

"I plan to," she stood and raised her eyebrows. "Ok, lets get the obvious out of the way, it was definitely an old room for one of the patients, due to how run down the place is. The writing is written in some sort of red ink, by who we don't know." She ran over to the chest at the foot of the bed. "Nothing in here, no one lives here, so why was it open? The bed still has a mattress, but it's damp and cold." She circled around herself once before looking at him. "I have come to the conclusion; we need Skulduggery to take a look at this."

He laughed, glanced around the room and suddenly went rigid. "You know for a detective," his voice had a new level of worry in it, like he was trying to suppress it but it was getting through. "You've missed out something rather important."

She frowned, "What?"

"Well there's two people in this room, right? Me and you."

"Yeah," she shrugged at him.

"Then why are there three shadows?"

* * *

Skulduggery watched the man sat on the bed. There was no mattress so the bare boards of the wrought iron bed were visible, but this didn't seem to bother him. The torch was dull so only illuminated a small part of the room. The man had his back to him and was rocking slowly from side to side.

Skulduggery stepped into the room, still the man did not move.

Skulduggery cleared his throat. The man's head spun round and Skulduggery saw the madness in his eyes. Madness is almost a disease, it makes the inflicted person do crazy things and loose all hope. It eats away at your soul; it can be caught by staring too deeply into those eyes. Skulduggery made himself look away. The man's cracked face broke into a smile, and he turned back to staring blindly out of the window.

"Do you know who I am?" Skulduggery's voice was hollow and echoed around the still room. By way of answer the man just nodded furiously.

"Come here."

The man's head blurred as he quickly shook his head, all the time the stupid loppy grin was still slapped across his unshaven face.

Skulduggery felt anger rising. "Come here and I won't kill you."

The man grinned showing blackened teeth but said nothing and showed no intention of moving. Skulduggery already tired of these games pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man's head. "Come. Now." The man's grin broke even further across his face and he moved slowly to the seat Skulduggery was indicating at. Skulduggery pulled up another rusty chair and sat in it facing Breet.

"So, are you going to talk or am I going to have to hurt you." Breet just smiled. "Fair enough."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hey Ho, br0s. How has everyone been? I haven't written anything in a long time. Sorry about that. I've been busy, music/school/procrastinating. You know the drill. ect. ect. Here's the next bit. Enjoy. **_

* * *

A man stood in the doorway. His face shrouded by shadows. For a moment no one moved, stillness settling. After a moment of regarding them he turned to leave.  
Just as he'd disappeared from view Valkyrie calmly said, "Follow him. Quick." Fletcher ran from the room first followed by Valkyrie not before she grabbed the torch.

"Hurry up!" Fletcher's voice found her and she looked left. Empty. Right. No one. No sign of the man or Fletcher. She turned in a full circle, still seeing no one.

"Valkyrie! He's getting away!" Choosing left she ran to where the voice came from.

* * *

Fletcher stopped, red faced and doubled over to catch his breath. "Guess you were right Val, teleportation really does lead to lazy ass." He turned; expecting to see her, eye brow raised with some smug comment, but instead he was greeted by an empty corridor. "Val?" He called out, uncertain. "Where are you?"

"Fletcher? What are you doing he's getting away?" Her voice echoed around him. "Hurry up! I've almost got him!" Panting, he took off to the right.

* * *

Valkyrie stopped, breathing heavily.  
She'd run for a minute and still no sign of him, he couldn't have been that far in front of her and even if she'd gone the wrong way she assumed she would have met him somewhere along the way, the hospital couldn't be that big after all.

Sighing, she pulled her phone out, hoping to ring Skulduggery or Fletcher and meet up again. With her back against the wall she pressed speed-deil.

She listened to Skulduggery's phone ring a few times before voice-mail activated. Frowning she tried again, he always answered her calls. This time she listened to it ring 3 times before the tone cut short and the screen went dead.

Cursing she flicked the thing a few times before holding it to her ear. When she did a shriek blared in her ear, she called out and threw the phone across, it smashing into the wall opposite.

That was when she heard the footsteps.

Two people walking down the corridor a-joining the one she was currently on.

She stared at the two shadows she could see getting closer, and closer.

Without thinking she jumped up and ran into one of the rooms just as the men rounded the corner.

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_**Hope that was okay. {='.'=}**_


End file.
